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| 1 | +--- |
| 2 | +jupytext: |
| 3 | + text_representation: |
| 4 | + extension: .md |
| 5 | + format_name: myst |
| 6 | + format_version: 0.13 |
| 7 | + jupytext_version: 1.14.4 |
| 8 | +kernelspec: |
| 9 | + display_name: Python 3 (ipykernel) |
| 10 | + language: python |
| 11 | + name: python3 |
| 12 | +--- |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +# The Overlapping Generations Model |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +In this lecture we study the overlapping generations (OLG) model. |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +The dynamics of this model are quite similar to Solow-Swan growth model. |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +At the same time, the OLG model adds an important new feature: the choice of |
| 22 | +how much to save is endogenous. |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +To see why this is important, suppose, for example, that we are interested in |
| 25 | +predicting the effect of a new tax on long-run growth. |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +We could add a tax to the Solow-Swan model and look at the change in the |
| 28 | +steady state. |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +But this ignores something important: households will change their behavior |
| 31 | +when they face the new tax rate. |
| 32 | + |
| 33 | +Some might decide to save less, and some might decide to save more. |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +Such changes can substantially alter the predictions of the model. |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +Hence, if we care about accurate predictions, we should model the decision |
| 38 | +problems of the agents. |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +In particular, households in the model should decide how much to save and how |
| 41 | +much to consume, given the environment that they face (technology, taxes, |
| 42 | +prices, etc.) |
| 43 | + |
| 44 | +The OLG model takes up this challenge. |
| 45 | + |
| 46 | +We will present a simple version of the OLG model that clarifies the decision |
| 47 | +problem of households and studies the implications for long run growth. |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +## The Model |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +We assume that |
| 53 | + |
| 54 | +- time is discrete, so that $t=0, 1, \ldots$ and |
| 55 | +- individuals born at time $t$ live for two periods: dates $t$ and $t + 1$. |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | + |
| 58 | +### Preferences |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +Suppose that the utility functions take the familiar constant relative risk |
| 61 | +aversion (CRRA) form, given by: |
| 62 | + |
| 63 | +```{math} |
| 64 | +:label: eq_crra |
| 65 | + U_t = \frac{c^1_t^{1-\gamma}-1}{1-\gamma} + |
| 66 | + \beta \left( \frac{c^2_{t+1}^{1-\gamma}-1}{1-\gamma} \right ) |
| 67 | +``` |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | +Here |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +- $\gamma$ is a parameter and $\beta \in (0, 1)$ is the discount factor |
| 72 | +- $c^1_t$ is time $t$ consumption of the individual born at time $t$ |
| 73 | +- $c^2_t$ is time $t+1$ consumption of the same individual (born at time $t$) |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | +### Production |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +For each integer $t \geq 0$, output $Y_t$ in period $t$ is given by |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +$$ |
| 80 | + Y_t = F(K_t, L_t) |
| 81 | +$$ |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +Here $K_t$ is capital, $L_t$ is labor and $F$ is an aggregate production function. |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +Without population growth, $L_t$ equals some constant $L$. |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | +### Prices |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +Setting $k_t := K_t / L$, $f(k)=F(K, 1)$ and using homogeneity of degree one now yields: |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +$$ |
| 92 | + 1 + r_t = R_t = f'(k_t) |
| 93 | +$$ |
| 94 | + |
| 95 | +The gross rate of return to saving is equal to the rental rate of capital. |
| 96 | + |
| 97 | +The wage rate is given by |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +$$ |
| 100 | + w_t = f(k_t) - k_t f'(k_t) |
| 101 | +$$ |
| 102 | + |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +### Equilibrium |
| 106 | + |
| 107 | +Savings by an individual of generation $t$, $s_t$, is determined as a |
| 108 | +solution to: |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | +$$ |
| 111 | + \begin{aligned} |
| 112 | + \max_{c^1_t, c^2_{t+1}, s_t} \ & u(c^1_t) + \beta u(c^2_{t+1}) \\ |
| 113 | + \mbox{subject to } \ & c^1_t + s_t \le w_t \\ |
| 114 | + & c^2_{t+1} \le R_{t+1}s_t\\ |
| 115 | + \end{aligned} |
| 116 | +$$ |
| 117 | + |
| 118 | +The second constraint incorporates notion that individuals only spend |
| 119 | +money on their own end of life consumption. |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | +Solving for consumption and thus for savings, |
| 122 | + |
| 123 | +$$ |
| 124 | + s_t = s(w_t, R_{t+1}) |
| 125 | +$$ |
| 126 | + |
| 127 | +Total savings in the economy will be equal to: |
| 128 | + |
| 129 | +$$ |
| 130 | + S_t = s_t L_t |
| 131 | +$$ |
| 132 | + |
| 133 | + |
| 134 | + |
| 135 | +### Dynamics |
| 136 | + |
| 137 | +We assume a closed economy, so domestic investment equals aggregate domestic |
| 138 | +saving. Therefore, we have |
| 139 | + |
| 140 | +$$ |
| 141 | + K_{t+1} = L_t s(w_t, R_{t+1}) |
| 142 | +$$ |
| 143 | + |
| 144 | +Setting $k_t := K_t / L_t$, where $L_{t+1} = (1 + n) L_t,$ and using homogeneity of degree one now yields: |
| 145 | + |
| 146 | +```{math} |
| 147 | +:label: k_dyms |
| 148 | + k_t = \frac{s(w_t, R_{t+1})}{1 + n} |
| 149 | +``` |
| 150 | + |
| 151 | + |
| 152 | + |
| 153 | +A steady state is given by a solution to this equation such that |
| 154 | +$k_{t+1} = k_t = k^*$, i.e, |
| 155 | + |
| 156 | +```{math} |
| 157 | +:label: k_star |
| 158 | + k^* = \frac{s(f(k^*)-k^*f'(k^*), f'(k^*))}{1+n} |
| 159 | +``` |
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